Sec. 28. (a) The governing board may enter into agreements with credit card companies or organizations authorized to do business in Indiana and may accept credit card payments from patients for services provided.

     (b) The board may, in the establishment and maintenance of hospital records, use automated data processing systems and purchase, lease, operate, or contract for the use of automated data processing equipment subject to section 6 of this chapter and section 22 of this chapter.

     (c) In addition to IC 5-14-1.5-6.1(b), a hospital organized or operated under this article may hold executive sessions to do any of the following:

(1) Discuss and prepare bids, proposals, or arrangements that will be competitively awarded among health care providers.

(2) Discuss recruitment of health care providers.

(3) Discuss and prepare competitive marketing strategies.

(4) Engage in strategic planning.

(5) Participate in a motivational retreat with staff or personnel, if the hospital does not conduct any official action (as defined in IC 5-14-1.5-2(d)).

     (d) IC 5-14-1.5-5, IC 5-14-1.5-6.1, and IC 5-14-1.5-7 apply to executive sessions held under subsection (c).

     (e) A hospital organized or operated under this article may hold confidential, until the information contained in the records is announced to the public, records of a proprietary nature that if revealed would place the hospital at a competitive disadvantage, such as the following:

(1) Terms and conditions of preferred provider arrangements.

(2) Health care provider recruitment plans.

(3) Competitive marketing strategies regarding new services and locations.

[Pre-1993 Recodification Citation: 16-12.1-3-24 part.]

As added by P.L.2-1993, SEC.5. Amended by P.L.35-1997, SEC.10; P.L.91-2002, SEC.10 and P.L.100-2002, SEC.11.